Convertible jump rope



June 30, 1970 J. B. KALISH CONVERTIBLE JUMP ROPE Filed Sept. 9, 1968 N VEN TOP lemme Barton kzlzlilz United States Patent 3,517,931 CONVERTIBLE JUMP ROPE Jerome Barton Kalish, Highland Park, 11]., assignor to Chemtoy Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 758,297 Int. Cl. A63b /20 US. Cl. 272-75 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A convertible jump rope capable, when arranged in one way, of use by a single person holding a handle in each hand and, when arranged in another way, capable of use by two persons, each holding a handle to swing the rope for a third person. There are two lengths of rope, each length having an elongated, tapered hollow member connected to each end. When used by one person, the rope lengths are coextensive and the two adjacent hollow members at corresponding ends of the rope lengths telescope together. When used by two persons, the rope lengths are positioned end to end.

This invention relates to a convertible jump rope characterized as in the abstract comprising a pair of ropes, handles and means linking the two ropes so that, in one position, the ropes are essentially parallel and are held in that position and, in the converted position, the ropes are essentially in end-to-end relation to provide what is the equivalent of a single, longer rope to be swung by a child holding each end while a third child is jumping.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a jump rope having the dual function stated which is instantly convertible without disassemblying any parts and without the need for technical ability whereby the same is capable of use by even very young children.

Another object is to provide a jump role as aforesaid comprising only a few simple parts of inexpensive construction in order that the same may be made available at a low price.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses certain forms in which the principles of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In this drawing:

FIG. 1 shows the invention jump rope as seen from the front, in a position for use by the individual child;

FIG. 2 shows the same extended into a form for swinging by two children;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section through one of the handles and retaining member in the engaged relation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a combined section and elevation showing the handle and retatining member disengaged;

FIG. 5 is a cross section, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a modified form in which the article includes means enabling adjusted positioned intermediate those of FIGS. 1-2;

FIG. 7 is a cross section, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7.

Regarded in its broad aspects, the invention comprises two lengths of rope, sometimes referred to herein as ropes made of any suitable material, e.g. plastic tubing, of the flexibility required for a jump rope. However, hemp rope or any other rope heretofore used for this purpose is equally adaptable. One advantage of using plastic 3,517,931 Patented June 30, 1970 'ice tubing is that it has long life and tenacity and is readily available commercially in colors. Two equal lengths of rope are each provided with a handle at one end, the respective ends being remote from one another. The other end of each rope is provided with an adjusting member having a portion to engage detachably with the handle of the other rope, and an apertured portion slidably engaged on said other rope. Thus, when the engaging portion of each member is in engagement with its respective handle the two ropes are essentially parallel and the article then in a condition for use by a single player and, when these members are disengaged and the handles separated the two ropes are positioned in endto-end relation for swinging by two players, while a third is jumping.

Adverting to the drawing (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5) there is shown a pair of ropes 10a, 10b of some desired length such that a given age range of children may use the same. As referred to above the rope may be of natural or synthetic fibers or plastic composition which is tubular or solid.

To one end of each rope there is attached a handle 12. In the example this takes the form of a reasonably rigid shell, molded of plastic and closed at one end 13 except for a hole 14 through which the end of the rope, e.g. 10b, is threaded and retained by a staple or similar clamp 16 squeezed onto the rope and slufiiciently wide not to slip through the hole 14. The hole 14 is large enough to enable the handle to swivel, as is desirable in jump ropes.

The adjacent end of the rope 10a is secured by staples 21 to one end of a member 22 in the form of an openended sleeve. Engagement between the handle 12 and member 22 is provided by a frusto-conical surface portion 24 on the handle frictionally engageable by a conforming trust-conical surface portion 26 on the member 22, viz. a plug fit. The degree of engagement is so calculated that attachment of the handle 12 to, and detachment of the same from the member 22 is within the capabilities of a child. However, it will be understood that the friction present at the joint will be adequate to preclude inadvertent disengagement while the article is in use. The engaged condition is seen in FIG. 3 and the disengaged condition in FIG. 4. Desirably the members 12 and 22 have respective end flanges 28 and 29 to lend reinforcement. In the article of FIG. 1 the ropes may be regarded as being in essentially parallel relation.

From FIG. 2 it will be noted that, when the handle 12 and member 22 are disengaged, the article may be extended to yield a converted article of approximately twice the length of the normal article depicted in FIG. 1. In this case the ropes may be described as being in endto-end relation.

By forming the members 22 of light weight material in the shape of a thin-walled sleeve, very little mass is presented at the center of the extended article, so that the same behaves essentially as would the conventional single rope.

Re-conversion from the article of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 1 is believed to be obvious.

A modified form is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The construction is the same as heretofore described except that means are provided to retain the members 22a, 22a at any selected position intermediate the fully retracted and fully extended positions of FIGS. 1 and 2. To this end the interior of the members 22a is provided with means to frictionally engage the respective ropes 10a, 10b. Such means may, for example, comprise a series of ribs 31 bearing on the respective ropes, the degree of engagement being so calculated as to preserve an adjusted, intermediate position, e.g. as in FIG. 6, but yet allow the ropes to be shifted to either of the extreme positions without undue effort. Other frictional means may be employed, e.g. a pivoted clamping finger arranged to compress the rope when swung to a locking position in the manner of clamps sometimes used on laboratory tubing to interrupt flow therethrough.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention. I

I claim: 1

1. A convertible jump rope comprising a pair of ropes adapted, when the article is swung by one person, to lie in essentially side-by-side relation and, when swung by two persons, to lie essentially in end-to-end relation, han dle secured to one end of each rope, a member having an aperture secured to the other end of each rope, each rope being received in the aperture of the member of the other rope to provide a sliding connection between the ropes, each handle of a rope and the member of the other rope having detachably engageable means whereby, when the members are engaged with respective ones of the handles, a one-person article results and, when the members are disengaged from the handles and the ropes are extended, a two-person article results.

2. An article in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by friction means associated with the members engageable with the rope associated therewith to fix the same in a predetermined adjusted position.

3. An article in accordance with claim 1 in which the member includes a sleeve at one end and the handle includes a male part frictionally engageable by said sleeve.

4. An article in accordance with claim 3 in which the sleeve comprises resilient material.

5. An article in accordance with claim 1 in which the engageable means comprises a male conical surface on the handle and a conforming female surface on the member.

6. A convertible jump rope comprising a pair of ropes adapted, when the article is swung by one person, to lie in essentially side-by-side relation and, when swung by two persons, to lie essentially in end-to-end relation, a

handle secured to one end of each rope, a member secured to the other end of each rope to engage the handle of the other rope, said member having means providing longitudinal adjustment between the ropes whereby, for one-person use the member of one rope is engaged with the handle of .the other rope and vice versa and, for two-person use, the members are disengaged from the respective handles and moved to a position essentially adjacent one another to dispose the ropes in said essentially end-to-end relation.

7. An article in accordance with claim 6 further characterized by friction means associated with the members engageable with the rope associated therewith to fix the same in a predetermined adjacent position.

8. The article in accordance with claim 6 wherein said members are sleeves frictionally engageable over respective ones of the handles.

9. A convertible jump rope comprising a pair of ropes adapted, when the article is swung by one person, to lie in essentially side-by-side relation and, when swung by two persons, to lie essentially in end-to-end relation, two sets of telescopically connectible members, one end of each of the ropes being secured to one of the members of each set, the other end of each of the ropes being secured to the other of the members of each set, means on each of said members to provide sliding fit thereof on respective ones of the ropes, whereby said members may be moved along their respective ropes to a position adjacent one another to dispose the ropes in said essentially end-to-end relation the other of the members of a set including a handle.

10. An article in accordance with claim 9 further characterized by friction means associated with the members engageable with the rope associated therewith to fix the same in a predetermined adjusted position.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 279,894 10/1914 Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner T. BROWN, Assistant Examiner 

